Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-02-18
Sheep Jnterest.
SOUTH AMERICAS HOPE.
THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE OF THE PLATE
REGION

Ayres, Argentine Republic, cannot but
prove of interest to our readers who are
looking to South America for a market
for their sheep:
shipments of frozen mutton have been
so frequent of late and some cargoes so
large. that the market is beginning to
pay attention to the steady growth of
this branch of River Plate exports and to
the prospect of its immense development
at no distant date. The meat business is
still in its infancy, dating from 1881,
when the Drabble company started the
industry in Campana. In the first year
ten steamers were sent from this port |
with 100000 frozen sheep for the London
market. The Campana factory was soon |
followed by branch establishment of
the same company in Colonia. Messrs.
Sausinena Il Co. then came forward i'll
1855 and started meat freezing on the |
banks of the Rachuelo and shipped |
frozen sheep to the Liverpool market.
Mr.. Terrason, adopting different freez-
ing system, started a large establishment
SOOl ulltINdIuS III Nun 4NlNpltiN' ilN 7p
called Congeladora Argentina then sprang |
into existence and tried the experiment |
of shipping frozen meat to Europe with
out the preliminary process of freezing
the carcasses on shore before conveyed to |
the chambers of the steamers. Several
new companies have been talked of this |
year and some are already in process of
formation in this market and abroad. 1t
is probable that several new factories
will be started next year on the Parana.
In 1885 twenty-three steamers were
dispatched with 2G5 900 frozen sheep, say
double the number exported the pre-
ViOus wear. The competition of New
Zealand and Australia in the London
market, meantime, was very brisk, but
last year the Australians began to fall
back, whilst the supply of Argentine
and New Zealand mutton continued to
increase The river Plate. however, is
creeping up steadily, and at the rate our
shipments are increasing we shall soon
be on par with New Zealand. There is
little doubt that the Plate can compete
successfully with New Zealand and there
could be no better proof of the soundness
and prospects of the meat export of this
country than the increasing number of
the freezing companies.
The shipments of frozen mutton this
year compare very favorably with the
figures of 1885. The export of the first
nine months amounted to 326 900 carcasses
therefore, calculate the export of frozen
mutton this year at half million carcass
ses. say double the number exported dur
ING 1855. If this ratio of increase be main
tanned in 1887, and in view of the nu-
merous new companies talked of it is
very probable, we may estimate the ship
ments of next year at one million car
casses at least.
1t is ii well-known fact that the exist
ing meat companies are extending their
factories, in order to much increase their
working next year. This shows that the
results of the meat export must be salts
factory. The industry, however, is not
such plain sailing as might be expected,
and there are instances of River Plate
Meat companies showing losses on the
working of the year; immediate results
may, therefore, be of a negative kind,
but the prospects of the industry could
not be more satisfactory, and the present
results offer sound basis to calculate
the development of the business and the
great profits that may accrue. As the
River Plate continues to gain ground in
the competition in the London market,
81
trade fraught with the most brilliant
prospects and susceptible of such i'm
mense expansion in the ever-increasing
demand for meat in Europe. We need
harbOr no fears as to the demand we
should look to the sources of supply and
prepare to meet the brunt of demand
made on our food-producing powers.
What are the sheepfarmers of the Plate
doing in order to supply the increasing
number of meat companies started in the
Plate? Nothing. They appear to think
that in a country that boasts the posses
sion of over one hundred million sheep
no eXertions are necessary to supply the
demands of Il mere half dozen meat com
panies, and this opinion appear, to be
general in the province of Buenos Ayres
Nevertheless it is well-known fact that
last winter, and very recently, the CHIEF
drawback of the freezing companies ha.
been the great scarcity of wethers in the
province. Buyers for account of these
companies were obliged to scour the out
side districts and distant hard gras,
camps to get a sufficient number of ia
animals in fit condition to ship to London
Could there be Il greater sarcasm than
this, in country that owns one hundred
millions of sheep?
If sheepfarmers do not heed these re